


Conviction

by UncleTouchyLich



Category: League of Legends
Genre: Age Difference, Drabble, Guardian-Ward Relationship, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, Nothing explicit, Other, Short, Short One Shot, Unfortunate Implications, Unrequited, Unrequited Crush, age gap
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-15
Updated: 2018-08-15
Packaged: 2019-06-28 00:28:52
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 591
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15696480
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UncleTouchyLich/pseuds/UncleTouchyLich
Summary: Talon was taken in by Swain instead of Marcus, before Ionia, before the demon. Afterwards there are unanswered questions, closed doors and tense silences. Jericho understands people- but he's never quite understood this boy.





	Conviction

“Good. I’m glad its done, then.” Swain gives his ward a rare, affectionate touch, a reward for a job well done besides the money he would be getting from the client. It’s only a gentle squeeze on the shoulder, but it is always done with meaning behind it. With that, the assassin is dismissed.

He’s tried to avoid touching the boy with his demon hand. He made that mistake once, early after his return from the battlefield and hasn’t been able to shake the greedy light that’s come into the boys eyes whenever he sees it, the way his bright eyes follow the hand like a cat watches something outside the window. 

He’d half expected Talon to abandon him when he came back a crippled mess, but he’d somehow misjudged him. Talon had remained loyal along with other surprising people- Draven the most surprising of all. Nowadays Talon is fond of smirking and making quips, The Raven’s Talon. He’s proud to be something, a part of something. Not Noxus, perhaps, no matter how much Swain tries to persuade him. But a personal, stubborn loyalty is better than nothing and Swain was glad to have at least that. But the boy looked good in grey and black and red and it was good to see the troubled youth hold to something. Simply killing and only killing would turn a man’s head to darkness and blindness and greed.

Swain watches the fire in the hearth for a while, as he always does when sleep does not come readily to him. He should have been kinder to Talon. He should have been warmer, but it’s not something that he’s ever known how to do. He only knows how to be harsh but fair, as fair as he can be. He reminds himself sharply that If he hadn’t taken the boy in, someone else would have, and someone else may not have been as patient. The boy showed a proclivity for assassination, for stealth and subterfuge despite his pretty face and form. He’s fortunate to not have ended up in one of the pleasure-houses for the nobility. He would have been wasted there- simply squandered talent. 

He retires when the fire is all but embers in the grate.

In the night, not for the first night, Jericho goes to his bedroom door, answering the small knock, softer than the polite knock of a servant. Not for the first time he sees his Ward standing there, determined, frowning, greedier and needier each time.

His hand twinges but he ignores it. He never felt this way before Ionia, but he will refuse again. It is the same exchange, the same meaningful look from Talon and the same gentle refusal from Swain, with hardly any words exchanged. He closes the door gently but firmly, cutting off sight of that fierce, pretty, disappointed face.

Swain wonders how long he can keep refusing him and how long Talon will take a no for an answer. How long before Talon doesn’t let the Grand General shut the door and invade the room, insisting on answers and something else, something Swain is not quite sure he wants to give.

He tries to lie down to go to sleep. Sleep has never come easily to him- he’s always had strange dreams all his life, and now they are more than dreams. He tries to think of books and old poems once learned from Tutors and calm things, logical things- falling into sleep that was never restful, can never be restful again after Ionia.

**Author's Note:**

> -  
> This was a gift/request for another writer- they ended up calling it their Ravenblade verse and developing more after I wrote the drabble for them. I'll link to them and their podfic of this story if I can find it.
> 
> Originally posted by me on not-the-lich.tumblr.com and uncle-touchy-lich.tumblr.com


End file.
